Restlessness

March 17, 2009

Streams in the Desert

Stay there until I tell you (Matthew 2:13)

O restless heart- beating against the prison bars of your circumstances and longing for a wider realm of usefulness- allow God to direct all your days. Patience and trust, even in the midst of the monotony of your daily routine, will be the best preparation to courageously handle the stress and strain of a greater opportunity, which God may someday send.

Wow! Isn’t it so neat how the Lord speaks to us through others? This devotion book, Streams in the Desert, was written and first published in 1925. It’s located in the Classic section in most Christian stores. It’s nestled in with the works of Spurgeon, Hudson, Murray, and Tozer. 

Today is one of those days that as I read it I feel as though I could have written it. The words make there way out of a heart that is guided by The Holy Spirit onto a page that will touch countless lives. I must confess that I have been restless. We are told to ”Be still and know that He is God” but it can be so difficult at times. 

One day very unexpectedly the Lord placed a word into my heart. I did not know when or where or how He was going to use it, all I knew was what I had heard. I have been like a child at the Christmas tree ever since awaiting to open the gift from my Abba Father. The being still part and waiting has proven I’am very impatient. But it’s been in the waiting that I have learned the things that only patience can teach.

He is in control and I’m not! His ways are higher than any of my preconceived ideas! He is never late and hardly ever in a hurry but yet always on time! Every time I have stood up and put on my spiritual running shoes, He gently has taken His hands and placed them on my shoulders and sat me back down. He has taught me to listen for Him. He has taught me to look for Him. His Word He has poured out on my thirsty soul. At times through my search, I forgot to just focus on Him and He graciously re-adjusted my vision. He took things out of the way so that I could see Him better.

I so want to encourage you that are in the “wait.” The only thing we can do is to be still and know that He is God. Without the waits in our lives how would we ever learn all that He desires to teach us. Can we get this through our stubborn wills and minds…YOU CANNOT RUSH GOD! You can honk your horn all you want…you can push and pull all you want….you can jump up and down in a fit all you want…you can beg and plead all you want but He, the immovable Rock of Ages, will not be shaken. Lord how I praise Him for that! He knows whats best for each and every one of us. He knows what it takes to shape and mold us and God forbid that we don’t allow Him.

Lean into the Lord today. Rest in Him. His will is perfect, pleasing, and holy. And believe that He will do EXACTLY what He says. He never ever never has broken one promise. Now that you can take to the spiritual bank!!!

Prisoners & Trash

I was driving down the road yesterday and I saw about 6 prisoners picking up trash. As I drove on by them I began to think about prisoners and trash. The Lord is always so faithful to give me life applications. I thought about how I have been a prisoner..not in jail but in bondage to sin, and  the only way out of that bondage or sin is to allow God to pick the trash out of my own life.

But you know it’s a weird thing how we get used to the smell and the taste of our trash. In fact, we would sometimes rather sit in the middle of our trash than to get out of it. In our trash heap lies pain, disappoinments, addictions, complete dysfunctions, unhealthy friendships, lies, bitterness, gossip, judgemental attitudes, hatred, unforgiveness…the list goes on and on.

Tell me how the pain of all these things feels better than the freedom that can be found in Christ Jesus? The pain becomes a drug to our flesh. It will have you hooked quicker than heroine. Every part of our body becomes involved. I know I have found it to be true in my own life. We feel justified by our trash and we intend on letting everyone know about it.

I would encourage the prisoners out there today to allow the Lord to take a peek into your trash heap or can. He wants to remove it from you. But it’s for your own good. You see His child is suppose to be free from that trash. Visualize yourself in that trash heap….the Lord comes to you and you lift your arms out to Him and He and only He has the strength to lift you out of it. He gently takes you by the hand and lifts you up out of the heap. He will then begin to pick that trash off of you one piece at a time.

Jesus Christ came to set us free. I ask you this….why are you still living like you are a prisoner?

Galatians 5:1 says, It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.  

I pray that today will be the day that you become set free. He will gladly take your trash and replace it with His grace, unfailing love, and mercy.  All you have to do is ask Him.

Funeral Arrangements

Not a popular subject by all means, but these plans must be made at some point. In the past week, two hurses have come across my path. The first one I had caught sight of in my rearview mirror. Funny how they try to make them look all fancy with velvet curtains and scrolly things on the sides. It seems to just be a “coverup” for whats really inside, death! As it made it’s way passed me I couldn’t help but think, “Lord are you trying to tell me something?”

Well to let you all know He is trying to tell me something. The something is found in Galatians 2:20.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

As I pondered on this verse, I was suddenly aware of some arrangements that needed to be made. I have planned a hundred times in my thoughts what my physical funeral arrangements will look like, but never have I taken on the idea of the funeral arrangements for my flesh.

You see I have tried and tried to bury my flesh. But you can’t bury something that has not died yet. It makes it’s way up out of the place you tried to bury it and before you know it, it’s up and walking around again! The very key to the process of burial is a death has to occur first.

To be crucified with Christ means I, me, my wants, my desires, my passions, my goals, my plans have to die. Sounds harsh doesn’t it? Do we dare choose the path of laying it all down at the foot of the cross and saying, “Yes Lord! To Your will and Your way and Your plans. I no longer live but Christ lives in me.

I encourage you to pray and seek what arrangements need to be made in your own life. I pray that the life that we live in this body will be lived by faith. Why? Because the Son of God loves us and gave Himself up for us.

Ms. Jean

Let me tell you about my new found friend. I have had my eye on her for quite sometime. I have seen her walking for about the past 2 months faithfully every morning in the same direction. She carries her little Walmart plastic bag with what seems to be her lunch.

The first time I saw her the Lord started pulling on my heart strings. Funny how He does that. I had set in my mind that as long as the sun was shining I would not offer to pick her up. But as soon as one rain drop hit the ground I knew that would be my sign to stop and ask her if she needed a ride.

This one particular morning the stage was set! The fog was thick and the rain was falling. We entered the subdivision that I cut through to get the kids to school and there she was! My heart started beating as fast as the thoroughbreds hooves on race day. I knew this was my chance to stop and do what all parents tell you not to do…”NEVER EVER PICK UP A STRANGER.”  I asked her if she needed a ride and she peeked into the van to make sure it was safe and said, “sure that would be nice.”

As soon as she sat down I knew that she was right where she was suppose to be. She had this smell about her that reminded me of my own Mom. I slowly inhaled breathing in a thousand memories of Mom. As we drove the kids to school I had wondered, “do they smell her to?” My question was soon answered as I went back to school that day for a Thanksgiving meal. They had indeed smelled her to!

When Ms. Jean got out of the van that day, I was overwhelmed with God’s amazing compassion.  Isaiah 30:13 says, Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.

Do you get the fact that He waits to have compassion on you? The word compassion here means, to love, love deeply, have mercy, have tender affection. The Lord waits to love you deeply. The Lord waits to love you with tender affection. I know that in my own life I get to feeling so unworthy that I forget to ask Him for His compassions. I don’t think I really deserve them. But contrary to my feelings, I choose to believe and take God at His Word.

Well I have picked up Ms. Jean several more times since that day. There are still a lot of things I don’t know about her, but one thing is for sure our paths were meant to cross. I know behind her big blue eyes there is a heart that the Lord longs to touch.

New Blog Link

Please check out this new blog link I added. It’s called The Journey. You can look on my blog roll and just click on it! It will add complete fuel to your faith. And if by some chance it doesn’t… call 911… your heart has stopped beating!!!

Shout out to Trish a THANK YOU for sharing it with me….

It’s a slow fade

This song by Casting Crowns is such an awesome reminder to me to be on guard. We have to be on guard! The Word tells us in Ephesians 6 to put on our full armor of God. Why? So that you may be able to stand againist the devils schemes.

I ask you..do you fight laying down? Would you put your armor on just to lay down to fight? NO! You fight best when you are standing up! Get up people, it’s time to fight!

Washed any feet lately?

John 13:13-17

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord an Teacher have washed your feet, you should also wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if  you do them.

The Lord Jesus washed His disciples feet. What a lowly job for the King of kings and Lord of lords. I really can’t get over the fact that the Master got down and became a Servant. But I’m so glad He did. He set the example for me to get down, HUMBLE myself, and serve no matter how stinky, and dirty the job may be.

This is for sure

Uncertainty is all around us. From the next president to the stock markets roller coaster. But thanks be to God there are things that are for certain! Like I know my Redeemer lives!!! May we be encouraged with that truth today.

Thats My King

Let us not forget who is enthroned forever. He is seated and no one will remove our King!!!

 

Jehovah-Jireh

The meaning of this name is: The Lord will provide

I don’t know what that means to you but I’m fixing to tell you what that means to me.

He meets my needs! I was in line at the beginning of school getting aggravated with the people that would not let me in the line. I was about to let out some unkind thoughts make their way through my lips and then this sweet african american man gave me the hand motion to go ahead of him. I let out a thank you Jesus somebody is saved around here!!! JK

Want to know what was on the front of his license plate? Jehovah-Jireh, my Provider. Oh the Holy Spirit hit my heart like a paddle of electric shock pads. “Yes Lord, You are my Provider,” I said out loud.

I love to think back and reflect on His provision. You see when you do that it gives you hope and faith to trust Him with tommorow. So many needs are met because we have jobs and homes and beds and running water. But there are some things that the old mighty dollar can’t buy…(praise the Lord!) What about peace, joy, and contentment in spite of your circumstances? Face it, there are certain things that only the Lord can give us. May we be stripped of the things that we have placed our trust in that does not have His name on it.

I think back to when I lived in Va. and was doing hair in my basement…homeschooling my older girls,had two more babies under foot..it was crazy!! This one morning my goal was to get up early and run to the grocery store to grab some bread. But I did not make it. I thought Lord, I do not have bread for lunch. I started my clients that morning and around 11:00 one of my clients, named Momma Opal walked in. Can you guess what she held in both her hands? It was warm, fresh baked bread! The first thought that entered my mind was “Lord, You are my Daily Bread.” You are my Provider!! I needed and He provided that day.

What do you need dear one for Him to provide in your life today? Just know that He is more than able. He is more than willing. I believe He is looking for hearts that are relying on Him to do it. Reflect on what He has provided you with already. He is more than enough. I encourage you to praise Him and thank Him for everything you can think of that He has provided you with. And then thank Him for the trials in your life….because without the trials when would we ever catch a glimpse of His provisions?